I might be just a recent college graduate, browsing through Monster.com or Craigslist.org for good job opportunities, but by now, I have a pretty good idea of what I’m looking when it comes to looking through jobs postings. While art freelancing isn’t too bad, I’d like to find something a bit more consistent, where I can regularly create art and graphic design projects. Of course, I will still continue to make art for charity proceeds.

My job search started well into my summer of my junior year, when I was interning at 451 Marketing and working with Boston Hiring and Boston Jobs for Hollister Inc.. It’s easy to post up a job posting, but there are ways to make a posting stand out from all the others. Whether it’s on Craigslist.org or any other job posting site, keep these tips in mind:

-List the job position for the subject line.
Yes, surprisingly enough, there are some employers that do not actually list what the job position is for. A simple, “We need your help!” will turn off job seekers who know what they are looking for. If people are going to click a posting, try something like, “Public Relations Coordinator needed in Springfield” or something on the lines of that. Chances are, someone who has PR experience will be interested and will click the link to the posting to get more information.

-Tell us a little bit about your company.
This is one of the key things I see missing in job postings, especially those on Craigslist.org. If an employer is paying money to post up a job opening, get your money’s worth. That means posting the name of the company and telling the brief story about it. A familiar company name will trigger a job seeker to immediately read more before applying for the job. If a job seeker has never heard of the company, they will do some research to get a better picture of the company.

A brief summary about the company’s history or mission will also strengthen a brand name. From the start, job seekers will also know what industry they are looking into. The absence of a company name and story loses that magic. It’s like being blind-folded and jumping right into a pool. If a job seeker ends up applying for an anonymous company, they will have no idea what to expect.

-Describe the job position.
Perhaps is might be simple to say a sales associate sells things, but there’s more to it than that. A job position should be described to the job seeker so they know how important the job is in the company. For example, a Marketing Coordinator may work closely with the Sales Manager and Finance Manager when it comes to planning marketing campaigns. Maybe they lead five other employees when planning those marketing campaigns. Giving the basic picture of what the job position means to the company will tell a job seeker what kind of job they are looking at, whether it’s an entry-level position or a regular hourly one.

-List the responsibilities.
Now that the position has been briefly described, it’s time to list the responsibilities that the position entails. So, if a Marketing Coordinator is leading a group of employees, tell the job seeker the details about those meetings. Does the job include brainstorming ideas? Delegating tasks? Or maybe helping out with the marketing plan by using certain software like Adobe Suite?

Be as specific as you want; the more details you give, the better understanding a potential candidate will have about what is expected of them when they apply for the job. Choose the more important ones to post. I would say between 6-8 bullet points for responsibilities gives the candidate a taste of what they would need to do, but try not to go over 10 bullet points. A long list of responsibilities may overwhelm a job seeker and make them look for something else.

Include the required qualifications.
If an employer wants to look for the best candidates, they need to draw the line that lets people know if they make the cut. Listing whether you need a high school degree vs. a Bachelor’s degree is definitely important. If the person needs to know how to use certain software, put that down. Having prior experience in a certain industry is also good to list. If an employer lets job seeker know what they are looking for, job seekers will be able to determine whether they are a good candidate for the job. Be clear and precise, and that way, no one’s time is wasted.

-Wrap it up with contact info.
Contact information is extremely important! No contact info, means no job application submitted. If a potential candidate has no way to give an employer their materials, how are they suppose to apply for the job? Always include an email address and website URL. I’ve noticed that it is very common for resumes and cover letters to be sent via email. Having just the default job posting email on Craigslist.org isn’t going to make people happy, especially since the number of job posting scams is quite high.

If an employer has their own application system or paper application, specify that. Include a PDF or URL to the application. If the candidate needs to send the application by mail, include a physical address. If there’s a specific representative in charge of overseeing applications, list their name. While phone numbers don’t have to be included, it doesn’t hurt to list that as well, in case people have questions about the job.

This is just a list of things that I think may benefit both job seekers like myself, and employers who are looking for good candidates. No, it’s not a guide to write the perfect job posting, but it will help both employers and job seekers understand each other better. It’s a symbiosis relationship; if an employer can tell me what they want, I can tell them what I can offer. Communication is key for almost anything, from the job search to completing commissions. Get the message across and for the most part, everyone is happy.

If you have thoughts from both the employer or job seeker perspective, I’d love to hear them.